Insulator



y 1939" D. M. MORGENSTERN ET AL 2,153,012

INSULATOR Filed Feb. 4, 1937 j INVENTORS,

QMMMA BY Chili Am MATTORNEYJ.

Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE INSULATOR Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 124,024

10 Claims.

This invention relates to insulators of the class used on low tension transmission lines, in house service connections, and in other similar situations.

Further, the invention pertains to the type of insulator characterized by a three-part construction comprising an insulator body, an attaching means that may consist of a wood screw, metal screw, bolt, or other device, and a connector by which the body and the attaching means are separably fastened together. This three-part construction enables any type of fastening means, designed for use with the insulator body, to be selected according to the nature of the support with which it is to be employed and fastened to the body by means of said connector, thus obviating the more common expedient of permanently securing the attaching means to the insulator body by a sulphur containing cement with its objectionable discoloring and corrosive properties and liability of loosening, and which expedient, by reason of the permanent connection between the body and attaching means, restricts a given insulator to use with a particular kind of support.

Objects of our invention are to provide a very simple and cheap insulator of the three-piece construction type that is highly satisfactory, durable, and convenient of assembly and installation.

These objects, with others hereinafter appearing, are obtained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters designate cor responding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational view of our improved insulator; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the insulator at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the insulator body, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the connector.

The insulator body, made of porcelain or other non-conducting material, is designated I, and the end thereof to which the attaching means is to be secured, and which is preferably enlarged to give it strength, is provided with a wide shallow slot 2 through the bottom wall of which opens a relatively narrow and somewhat deeper groove 3, the slot and grove extending from one side inwardly beyond the transverse center of the body. Formed in the side of the body diametrically opposite that through which the slot 2 and groove 3 open is a recess 4; and formed in the end of the body on opposite sides of the slot 2 and in parallel relation to the axis thereof are deep, inwardly diverging channels 5. In other respects, the

55 insulator body I may be of the common and well known design, as illustrated in the drawing, having the usual through opening 5 for the accommodation of a conductor or tie wire (not shown) The connector, designated generally by the reference numeral 8, is, according to our present 5 preferred embodiment, constructed of a rectangular piece of comparatively heavy gauge sheet metal, formed to provide a flat base 9 and flanges I0 that extend from parallel edges of the base I at obtuse angles to the plane of the base. The 10 lateral spacing of the flanges I ELand their angle of divergence, are substantially the same as those of the channels 5 of the insulator body I. The flanges, however, are slit at intervals, as at H, and the parts on opposite sides of each slit are slightly offset laterally in opposite directions with respect to each other so that, when the flanges are forced into the channels 5, said parts are placed under tension thereby to hold the insulator body and connector firmly together. Furthermore, allowance is thus made for slight irregularities in the width of the channels 5. At about its center, the base 9 of the connector is provided with an aperture l2, and extending from one end of the base is a lug l3.

l5 designates, generally, an attaching means. The same is shown as having a fiat and relatively broad wing like head l6 and, adjacent said head, an enlargement or collar IT. The particular attaching means herein disclosed incorporates a so-called wood screw l8, for securing the insulator assembly to a wooden support. Obviously, if the assembly is to be attached to a metal support, an attaching means incorporating a metal screw may be substituted for the one illustrated; and likewise, if the nature of the installation dictates the use of a rivet, then the shank of the attaching means may be in the nature of a rivet, all of which will be readily understood by one skilled in the art, Wherefore specific illustration of attaching means incorporating these well known expedients is deemed unnecessary.

Because of their cross sectional area and shape, the slot 2 and groove 3 of the insulator body will readily accommodate the collar ['5 and wing like head 16, when the latter is turned with its longer axis in alignment with the groove.

In assembling the parts, the attaching means I5 is projected through the aperture 12 of the connector until the collar I! engages the top side, so to speak, of the base 9; and with said means turned so that the longer axis of its head it is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the connector, the insulator body, by means of its channels 5, is laterally engaged with the flanges IB of the connector, the body being applied to that side of the connector from which the lug l3 extends, and turned so that the side of the body through which the slot 2 and groove 3 open faces the attaching means. The lateral sliding movement of the insulator body with respect to the connector continues until stopped by engagement of the portion of the insulator body beyond the inner end of the slot 2 and groove 3 with the attaching means IS. The lug l3 may now be bent at substantially right angles to the plane of the base 9 into the recess 4 of the insulator body, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent retraction of the body. To facilitate the lateral engagement of the insulator body with r the head of the attaching means, the side walls of the groove 3 diverge outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. Therefore, if the longer axis of the head I6 is not precisely coincident with the longitudinal axis of the connector when the head starts to enter the groove 3, it will be cammed into accurate position by the sides of the groove, and because of the parallelism and spacing of said walls adjacent the inner end of the groove, the head is held against any appreciable turning l relative to the body. Consequently, in applying the insulator to a support, if the nature of the installation permits, the screw l8 may be turned by means of the insulator body as a handle. If, however, conditions are such that it would be more desirable or practical to fasten the connector to the support before applying the insulator body to the connector, this can readily be done, and such an operation would probably be required where a rivet constitutes the attaching means. In such cases, after the connector is fastened to the support, the insulator body may be laterally engaged with the connector, as above explained, and locked thereto by bending the lug I3 into the recess 4 of the insulator body.

It will be readily seen that, by virtue of our invention, insulator bodies may be salvaged from abandoned structures, even though the attaching means cannot be economically or practically dislodged. This is done by straightening out or breaking off the lugs l3 and sliding the insulator bodies from the connectors. It will also be apparent from the present disclosure that when the fastening means is drawn up tightly to rigidly secure the connector to a support, any strains incident thereto are confined to the attaching means and connector and are not transmitted to the more or less frangible insulator body.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, a connector, attaching means for securing the connector to a support, and an insulator body, said body and the connector having parts that interengage and hold the body to the connector when the body is slidably engaged with the connector in a given direction, a part of the attaching means cooperating with the insulator body to arrest movement of the body with respect to the connector in said direction, and means adapted to be rendered effective after engagement of the body with theconnector for preventing appreciable sliding movement of the body with respect to the connector in the opposite direction.

2. In combination, a connector, attaching means for securing the connector to a support, and an insulator body, said body and the connector having parts that interengage and hold the body to the connector when the body is slidably engaged with the connector in a given direction, said attaching means serving as a stop to limit the movement of the body in said direction, and means carried by the connector and adapted to be rendered effective after the body is applied to the connector for preventing movement of the body in the opposite direction.

3. In combination, a connector consisting of a base with flanges extending along parallel edges thereof, the base having an aperture and bein formed with a lug, attaching means adapted to be projected through the aperture and provided with an enlargement for engagement with the base of the connector between the aforesaid flanges, and an insulator body formed for sliding engagement with said flanges and for lodgment against a part of the attaching means thereby to locate the body in a definite relation to the connector, said body having a slot for the accommodation of the enlargement of the attaching means, the slot opening through one side of the body, and the lug on the connector lying in the plane of the base before application of the body to the connector and being adapted to be deformed to constitute being so shaped as to hold the body to the con-' nector.

4. In combination, a connector consisting of a base with flanges rising from parallel edges thereof in planes other than at right angles to the base, the base having an aperture between said flanges and provided with a lug, attaching means adapted to be projected through said aperture and having an enlargement for engagement with the base, and a head surmounting said enlargement, and an insulator body having in one end channels within which said flanges are adapted to fit when the body is slidably engaged with the connector, the body having also in said end a slot for the accommodation of the enlargement and a groove opening into said slot wherein said head is adapted to fit so as to be held against turning with respect to the body, the slot and groove opening through one side of the body to receive the enlargement and head of the attaching means when the body is slidably engaged with the connector, the aforesaid lug being adapted to be deformed to constitute a stop for engagement by the opposite side of the body.

5. In combination, a connector consisting of a base with flanges rising from parallel edges thereof in diverging planes, the base being formed with a lug at one end and with an aperture intermediate its ends, attaching means adapted to be projected through said aperture and provided with an enlargement for engagement with the base and having-a wing-like head surmounting the enlargement, and an insulator body having in one end channels for the: reception of said flanges and a slot for the accommodation of the enlargement, the body also having a groove opening into said slot within which the head reposes and by the side walls of which groove the head is held against turning with respect to the body, the slot and groove opening through one side of the body, the aforesaid lug being adapted to be bent to form astop for engagement by the opposite side of the body.

6. In combination, a connector consisting of a base with flanges rising from parallel edges thereof in diverging planes, the base being formed with a lug at one end and with an aperture atabout its longitudinal center, attaching means adapted to be projected through said aperture and provided with an enlargement for engagement with thebase and having a wing-like head surmounting the enlargement, and an insulator body having in one end channels for the reception of said flanges and a slot for the accommodation of the enlargement, the body also having a groove opening into said slot within which the head reposes and by the side walls of which groove the head is held against turning with respect to the body, said walls diverging toward the open end of the groove, the slot and groove opening through one side of the body, the body having a recess in its opposite side into which the aforesaid lug is adapted to be bent.

'7. In combination, a. connector consisting of a base with resilient flanges rising therefrom at other than right angles to the base, attaching means for securing the connector to a support, and an insulator body having channels for the reception of said flanges, the flanges being slit intermediate their ends and the parts separated by each slit being offset laterally with respect to each other for the purpose specified.

8. In combination, an insulator body, a connector, and a screw for securing the connector to a support, the body and connector having parts that interengage and hold the body to the connector when the body and connector are slidably engaged with each other in a given direction transverse the axis of the body, the screws serving as a stop for engagement by the body to limit the relative movement of the body and connector in the aforesaid direction, the body being provided with a recess that opens through its side, and the screw having a head received by said recess and wherein it fits in such manner that the screw is held against turning with respect to the body, and a stop on the connector adapted to be disposed in effective position after the body and connector are slidably engaged with each other for contact with the side of the body opposite that through which the aforesaid recess opens.

9. In combination, a substantially symmetrical insulator body, a connector having a central aperture and wherewith one end of the body is designed to have sliding engagement in a given direction transverse the axis of the body in the attachment of the body to the connector, a screw projected through the aperture of the connector and having a head disposed on the side of the connector adjacent the body, the body having a recess that opens through its side for the reception of said head and wherein the head fits in such manner that the screw is held against turning with respect to the body, the screw serving as a stop for engagement by the body to limit the relative sliding movement of the body and connector when the body and screw are substantially in axial alignment, and a stop on the connector adapted to be disposed in effective position after the body and connector are slidably engaged with each other and arranged for contact with the side of the body opposite that through which said recess opens thereby to maintain the aforesaid alignment of the body and screw.

10. In combination, a connector, attaching means for securing the connector to a support, and an insulator body; said body having laterally spaced channels and the connector having resilient flanges each for engagement within one of said channels, each flange having relatively yielding parts, the channels and flanges being so shaped as to hold the body to the connector with said parts of each flange placed under tension by cooperation with the opposed walls of the corresponding channel.

DAVID M. MORGENSTERN. JOSEPH BRASTY. 

